October 1, 2021 — Expo 2020 Dubai’s Opening Ceremony was streamed live to more than 430 locations across the UAE, as well as on screens in New York’s Times Square, giving people around the world the chance to participate in the spectacle.
This will be followed tonight by three giant fireworks displays in Dubai, marking the first full day of the Expo in a visual celebration commemorating the journey from winning the bid in 2013 to opening the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, and the largest global event held since the start of the pandemic.
On Thursday, September 30, nation-wide Opening Ceremony viewing parties took place across the country, thanking the nation for its support and inviting everyone to come together to celebrate this momentous occasion for Dubai, the UAE and the region as a whole.
Screens were set up in locations ranging from airports and shopping malls to hotels and other landmarks, relaying the musical and cultural performances as they happened. Both the Nasdaq screen and the Thomson Reuters display in Times Square showed the Opening Ceremony for one hour from 2030-2130 GST, which is just after midday in New York.
Among the performers were world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli; Grammy-nominated, Golden-Globe-winning actress, singer and songwriter Andra Day; platinum-selling British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding; international mega-star pianist Lang Lang; and four-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo.
The fireworks displays will take place on the evening of Friday, October 1, kicking off at 2020 GST at Dubai Festival City, The Frame and The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah, with each presenting their own unique celebrations. Both The Pointe and Dubai Festival City will incorporate their fountains into a light and sound show themed on Expo 2020, while The Frame façade will be lit up in Expo colors. The flags of participating countries will also be displayed at each, with booths on the ground for purchasing Expo 2020 tickets.
The roster of streaming locations for the Opening Ceremony included more than 240 hotels nation-wide, including Emaar’s Rove, Armani, Address Hotels & Resorts, and Vida Hotels & Resorts, as well as Accor, Marriot, Hilton, IHG, Rotana, Jumeirah, Hyatt International and Atlantis The Palm.
In addition, 17 Majid Al Futtaim malls, plus City Walk, Nakheel Mall and Ibn Battuta Mall, as well as 50 Jashanmal locations across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, 97 Mediclinics, Dubai and Abu Dhabi International Airports, and Zabeel Ladies Club and Sharaf DG streamed the experience.
Abu Dhabi Mall in the nation’s capital also streamed the evening, alongside Sharjah’s City Center Al Zahia, Al Majaz Waterfront and Khorfakkan Beach. Residents were able to tune into Sharjah TV to watch the ceremony unfold live.
Expo 2020 Partners offered their support, with many, including Dulsco, Terminus Group, L’Oreal and Nissan, hosting Opening Ceremony viewing parties for their staff. Emirates, the Official Airline Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, also streamed proceedings across its first and business class lounges, both local and international.
Adding to the evening’s magic, viewings took place at various locations in Umm Al Quwain, Yas Plaza in Abu Dhabi and across various locations in Ras Al Khaimah, including the Corniche, Al Marjan Island and Manar Mall. Ajman Heritage District and Fujairah Fort joined in hosting a live broadcast – the latter accompanied by an evening of other festivities that include a mini village, folklore bands, regional crafts, heritage displays and traditional food.
Tickets to Expo 2020 Dubai are available online and through more than 2,500 Authorized Ticket Resellers, including online travel agents, tour operators, hotel groups and airlines from 100-plus markets around the world.
About Expo 2020 Dubai
From October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai will welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to join the making of a new world, as it brings together the planet in one place to reimagine tomorrow.
- With the purpose of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 will be the world’s most impactful global incubator for new ideas, catalysing an exchange of new perspectives and inspiring action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenge
- Expo 2020 will be the biggest cultural gathering in the world, presenting a visually striking and emotionally inspiring 182 days, as more than 200 participants – including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses, and educational institutions, as well as millions of visitors – create the largest and most diverse World Expo ever
- Expo 2020’s subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability will inspire visitors to preserve and protect our planet, explore new frontiers and build a better future for everyone
- For six months, Expo 2020 will be a must-visit family destination, with thousands of events, amazing exploratory experiences, and free entry for children up to age 18
- Expo is committed to building a more equitable and just world for everyone, while keeping visitors safe by following the latest guidance of the world’s leading medical, science and health experts
